Tuesday, 21 October 2014

Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 162 - American Meteorite Lab specimensBlaine ReedP.O. Box 1141Delta, CO 81416Ph/fax (970) 874-1487…………………………………………………………….LIST 162October 20, 2014Dear Collectors,Note: I am sending this out a day early as I just realized that I will be leaving town Thursday afternoon through Sunday. Here is an amazing batch of old American Meteorite Lab specimens that I recently received. I had planned on offering these over a couple lists. However, I will not be doing an early November list (as I will be off to Socorro for the Mineral Symposium and its associated show the day after that should be sent out). So, rather than stretch this out into late November and early December (I usually put 7 or 8 items on a typical list, so this lot would normally cover 3 offerings) I decided to simply let it all fly now. I hope this rather large offering does not overwhelm too many (financially, if they want specimens or the extra long length for those that might simply read it). Anyway, These are all American Meteorite Lab pieces with their original labels! Most of these are Nininger labeled pieces but some of these are the later Huss labeled specimens. When Glenn (Nininger’s son in law) took over, he changed to a “new” numbering system for AML specimens such that they would have an H at the start, showing that they were “Huss” specimens. In the list of specimens and their descriptions I’ll make note of what number is on the specimen. Strait numbers are Nininger pieces and those that are H and then a number are Huss pieces. It is a very rare day anymore that I get even one AML specimen (and usually the paper label that is supposed to be with it is missing ) but it is truly special to end up with close to 20 different to offer now. Note, the “find” dates on some of these are slightly different than what is officially reported in the Catalog of Meteorites. I am using the dates and TKW that are on the cards (prepared by Dr. Nininger or Glenn Huss) that are with the specimen. So don’t freak out if, while doing a little research on some of these, you see dates or total knowns that are a bit different, these are indeed the ones listed in the catalog, Met Bulletin.BONDOC, Philippines: (Mesosiderite). Found 1957, recognized 1959. Tkw = 888.6kilograms.This piece is one of the mostly silicate specimens, though there are a couple metal flakes visible in it. This has a little bit of surface rusting, mostly on the “natural” edges. I left it alone for fear that in trying to clean up this tiny bit of stuff I might accidentally end up damaging the Nininger number painted on this thing which is (2)684.223. I don’t know what the (2) is for but the 684 is certainly the right number for Bondoc. 11.1 gram slice – 25mm x 15mm x 10mm - $100SOLDBLEDSOE, Texas: (H4). Found 1970. Tkw = 30.56 kilograms.I remember getting a few pieces of this one from Mr. Huss, likely back around the time I first met him. This isn’t real pretty, unfortunately. It doesn’t show any metal but it does have some chondrules and fragments visible (best on the unpolished side that also has the specimen number – H121.15 on it). This is a complete slice of a fragment – no cut edges. 12.8 grams slice – 50mm x 19mm x 6mm - $125 SOLDBRENHAM, Kansas: (pallasite). Found 1885. Tkw = 4400 kilograms.Not surprisingly, this one is a bit of a mess. It still shows quite a lot of bright metal but some of the (surprisingly clear and colorful) crystals have popped out (I think they are all still in the box). This is a Huss piece and is numbered 49.76, though the number is not completely clear as there is some rusting hiding the last part a bit. Based on its fairly low number (for a meteorite that I know he had LOTS of) this is one of Glenn’s early Brenham specimens. 26.9 gram slice – 42mm x 20mm x 8mm - $100SOLDBROWNFIELD (1937), Texas: (H3.7). Found 1937. Tkw = 22 kilograms.The total weight is a bit higher in reality (around 44kg now I think). I know I had a several kilo piece of this stuff I bought from a farmer years ago. This is a “complete” slice (no cut edges) but it does look like it was a natural fragments as only around ½ of the edge of this looks like a crusted surface. This is an early Huss piece and numbered 15.25. 17.8 gram slice – 42mm x 30mm x 4mm - $200SOLDCALLIHAM, Texas: (L6). Found 1958. Tkw = 40.1 kilograms.This is a long, skinny slice of a natural fragment. Its quite weathered (no fresh metal visible) but it is solid (no cracking). A fairly big piece of this was found, but I have not seen a lot of this one available over the years. This is a Nininger piece and is numbered 670.70. 21.5 gram slice – 85mm x 17mm x 5mm - $225 SOLDEDMONSON, Texas: (L6). Found 1955, recognized 1965. Tkw = 12kilograms.This one came to me broken apart unfortunately. It arrived in 3 large pieces and a couple small fragments. Thankfully, the largest piece (which weighs 6.6 grams and measures 33mm x 14mm x 5mm) is the one that has the Huss number (H31.19) on it. 9.1 gram broken slice - $100SOLDGRASSLAND, Texas: (L4). Found 1964. Tkw = 4.4 kilograms.This one, like the Edmonson, arrived in pieces. This one is quite a bit more broken up though. It came as 4 or 5 “larger” pieces and a bunch of small fragments. Thankfully, like the Edmonson, the largest piece (3.0 grams – 18mm x 18mm x 4mm) is the one that has the Huss number (H23.55) on it. I have had pieces of this in the distant past, but not many. It seems the bulk of this one is tied up in museum collections. 9.1 gram broken slice - $100SOLDHUGHOTON, Kansas: (H5). Found 1935. Tkw = 325 kilograms.Interesting, the first piece I have had of this in years (a 9.2 g piece) I just offered a month or so ago. Now I suddenly have another! I sold the last one (really quickly) at $250. I had several people wanting that one. I suspect that this one may be the same, though it is a bit more expensive overall. This is numbered 280.336. 20.8 gram cut fragment – 28mm x 15mm x 25mm - $400 SOLDLADDER CREEK, Kansas: (L6). Found 1935. Tkw = 35.0 kilograms.Weathered fragment with cut and polished face (and a much smaller polished area at the other end). Some metal is still visible on the polished faces. Nininger specimen number 280.336 16.4 gram cut fragment – 25mm x 20mm x 13mm - $200SOLDLAKEWOOD, New Mexico: (L6). Found 1955, recognized 1966. Tkw = 46.5 kilograms.This is an end piece or really a cut fragment (it doesn’t have anything I would call a crusted surface on the back side). It is weathered and shows some cracks but it seems to be quite solid. This is a Huss piece and is numbered H53.121. 38.1 gram cut fragment – 60mm x 40mm x 8mm - $250SOLDLITTLE RIVER, Kansas: (H6). Found 1965, recognized 1968. Tkw = 4.4 kilograms.The card with this says tkw = 16.1 kilograms. Two pieces were found and it seems that they were really two different meteorites. The smaller one, the 4.4kg Little River (a) stone is an H6 and the larger Little River (b) is an H4/5. This piece is pretty clearly an H6 (no visible chondrules, a crystalline almost achondritic look) so this is a piece of the Little River (a) stone. About half of this is locked up in museum collections so there is not much of this meteorite available. I can’t recall ever having a piece. This is a Huss specimen and is numbered H83.30. 8.1 gram slice – 25mm x 20mm x 5mm - $200SOLDNORCATUR, Kansas: (L6). Recognized 1948. Tkw = 3.2 kilograms.Unfortunately, this one is the ONLY specimen that came in this collection that didn’t have a specimen card for it. This (to me) is REALLY unfortunate as, after digging through my old Nininger Collection catalog to figure out what this little piece was, I think it is probably the rarest (hardest to get a sample of, certainly not classification) piece in the entire lot. I don’t recall ever having a piece. The list of museum collection pieces seems to show that the weight in collections is indeed pretty much the total weight known. This “rarity” may also be supported by its specimen number (525.9). Being such a small piece and having a low number, being the 9th piece “cataloged” there may indeed be very little in private hands. This is a small fragment that has one (largest) side with obvious fusion crust (but brown from minor weathering). 1.9 gram crusted fragment - $100 SOLDPLAINVIEW (1917), Texas: (H5) brecciated. Found 1917. Tkw = 700 kilograms.This is a Nininger specimen (numbered 92.1291). It is a part slice (one cut edge) of a slightly weathered stone. It still shows quite a bit of metal but is a darker brown than some of the Plainview slices I have had recently (but none of those had a number and card). 34.3 grams slice – 50mm x 32mm x 6mm - $275SOLDPOTTER, Nebraska: (L6). Found 1941. Tkw = 261 kilograms.This is a complete slice of a very weathered fragment. No metal left in this but a few obvious chondrules are visible in the light brownish gray matrix. Nininger specimen number 476.229. 33.3 gram slice – 60mm x 30mm x 7mm - $200SOLDSHIELDS, Kansas: (H5). Found 1968. Tkw = 9.8 kilograms.I know I have had a piece or two of this one in the past but it seems that most of it (a bit over 7kg) is in museum collections so there probably isn’t a lot of this one floating around. This is a complete slice of a fragment (no cut edges. It is a Huss piece and is numbered H90.57. 9.0 gram slice – 28mm x 17mm x 8mm - $100SOLDTEKTITES:I don’t recall ever buying tektites from the AML (I don’t recall Glenn ever really having any to offer for some reason), so I am unfamiliar with their numbering. The numbering on these is definitely different than the meteorite cataloging. These have letters (abbreviations really) indicating what kind of tektite it is and then a number (so I suppose it might be possible to accidentally confuse a AML labeled Moldavite for a Monig piece if one were not paying attention). Thankfully, these all have the likely Nininger AML label with them so there is no chance of confusion.SOLDAUSTRALITE: This elongate core has the label AU375 painted on it. The AML card that comes with gives the locality as “Williams Creek, South Australia”. 7,0 grams – 25mm x 17mm x 12mm - $100SOLDBEDIASITE: Tektite from Texas.The label that comes with this piece has the locality as “Somerville, Texas”. The number on this individual is B95. 4.0 grams – 22mm x 12mm x 11mm - $100 _SOLDINDOCHINITE:The label for this piece gives the locality as Dalat, Vietnam. The specimen is numbered IC513. 3.5 grams – 32mm x 10mm x 7mm - $75SOLDSOLDMOLDAVITE: This piece is labeled M43 and the card gives the locality as “Lhenice, Sudbohmen”. 7.1 grams – 23mm x 20mm x 10mm - $100SOLDPHILIPPINITE:This small round piece is labeled R1194. The card gives the locality as Luzon, Philippines and the “class” as Tektite (rizalite). 7.3 grams – 21mm x 18mm x 14mm - $100SOLD

Sorry this is getting out a little later than I had planned. I got tied up with a few things today.

Here is the e-mail version of my mailed “after Denver”/ fall list. Many if you (those that are current customers anyway) have or will be receiving this in the mail (likely today, if I timed my mailing properly). I think I may have said this in the past but many of you have said “remove me from the physical mailing list and send e-mail only”. I do indeed do that for some, mostly a few overseas customers and people that are buyers of very specific things (like I have customers who buy ONLY etched iron slices for making guitar picks or “New Age” shops that buy only Moldavite and Libyan glass). I don’t mind sending out paper lists to the bulk of you though. They really are not that expensive and it saves me the trouble of trying to figure out who is on the mailing list and who is not when I go through my customer files. However, the biggest reason is simply ugly old-fashioned marketing. When I send out an e-mail offering, I get orders in a matter of minutes but then after a couple hours – NOTHING. I may have 90% of the items left, but the sales are gone, finished , over (I do get an order the next day on rare occasions, but they are very rare occasions). E-mal is so very ephemeral. They only “last” mere minutes to hours. If they are not noticed/ acted upon in mere minutes, they simply disappear by getting buried under new, now more important, e-mails needing attention. A paper list, however has SOME lasting power. Until the receiver makes the active motion of tossing it out, it still has the chance to “sell something”. And this does seem to happen. Granted, the bulk of my orders from a mailed list are in the first week or two, but I have had orders come in weeks (and sometimes even months) later from a mailed list (and usually I can satisfy the request. Though there are some items, like the Acosta Gneiss last time that sell out and the NWA 8457 here is likely to be an issue later). Anyway, if you absolutely hate “junk mail” I can remove you from the mailing list. But, don’t feel bad that I spent a little sending a list to you otherwise. Who knows, it might be you that notices something a couple weeks later that didn’t register on the first look over contacting me for an item.

Enjoy!

HENBURY, Australia: Medium octahedrite (IIIAB). Found 1931.
I used to have quite a lot of this famous meteorite. I had only a small not even handful of small pieces I’d set out at small shows as it is the only completely natural iron meteorite I have and it has a pleasing look. I just got a few “larger” pieces in as part of a collection. I decided to offer up all sizes I have here. This material has gotten hard to come by and the few pieces I have seen coming out of Australia these days are priced at (or above) $2/g. I have only one each of the two largest pieces, unfortunately.
1)Natural individuals as found:
a) 5.4 grams - 12mm x 12mm x 6mm - $10
b) 11.4 grams - 22mm x 11mm x 10mm - $20
c) 19.0 grams - 26mm x 18mm x 11mm - $32
d) 39.4 grams - 28mm x 28mm x 11mm - $63-SOLD
e) 71.5 grams - 45mm x 28mm x 12mm - sold-SOLD

NWA 6434: Ordinary chondrite. (H6) anomalous, S3,W3. Found before Feb 2009. Tkw = 423 grams.
This is another item that took some time (and a couple tries) to finally get classified. I was told it was an “H7” when I bought it (and paid quite high to get it). Unfortunately, thin-section work showed some indistinct chondrules remaining, making this an H6. However, this research work also showed that the pyroxene iron content (Fs #) was outside of and below the H-chondrite range. The Meteoritical Society Nomenclature Committee decided to label this meteorite as an “H6-anomalous” because of this strange and interesting feature. I believe that, at this point, this is the ONLY meteorite labeled as such. This is not much to look at visually though. It shows very little metal and a few faint chondrules in a medium to dark chocolate brown matrix.
1) Slices:
a) 1.0 grams - 13mm x 10mm x 2.5mm - $15
b) 2.3 grams - 25mm x 10mm x 2.5mm - $34
c) 4.2 grams - 23mm x 20mm x 3mm - $60
d) 8.0 grams - 35mm x 20mm x 3.5mm - $110
2) End pieces/ cut fragments:
a) 7.2 grams - 25mm x 15mm x 12mm - $85
b) 11.0 grams - 23mm x 18mm x 17mm - $130
c) 18.4 grams - 30mm x 30mm x 8mm - $200-SOLD

NWA 8193: Ordinary chondrite. (LL6), S3, W2. Found before February 2010. Tkw = 1.16kilograms.
This is one Matt picked up and I later got. He called it an LL even though I thought it was more likely just an L (it looks quite similar to NWA (869) in texture but does have less metal/ magnetic attraction). Obviously, Matt got this one right. This is brecciated and does show various recrystallized chondriotic clasts, lithic fragments and glassy fragments in a mottled gray, tan and brown matrix. I have surprisingly few pieces of even the sizes listed here as much of this stuff broke up on cutting (Matt got that fun job). Not sure why that happened, cracking from freeze-thaw action in some areas of the stone is my guess.
1) Slices:
a) 5.3 grams - 24mm x 14mm x 6mm - $19-SOLD
b) 10.2 grams - 30mm x 18mm x 6mm - $36
c) 14.2 grams - 37mm x 22mm x 6mm - $50
d) 26.1 grams - 60mm x 28mm x 5mm - $90
e) 42.5 grams - 70mm x 35mm x 6mm - $140

NWA 8457: Ordinary chondrite. (LL3.2). Found before February 2014. Tkw = 54.6 grams.
Here is one I was not going to get classified (too small). However Dr. Love in North Carolina wanted to work on a true type 3 meteorite. This little stone was all I had that I could pretty much guarantee was a type 3. Not only was it a type three though, it was a really low numbered (primitive) one! There are 19 total meteorites of this type known in the world. This is weathered (W3) but it shows LOTS of chondrules (of many colors and sizes) in a medium brown matrix. I have only these two pieces.
1) Cut fragments
a) 13.5 grams - 25mm x 22mm x 11mm - $200-SOLD
b) 23.6 grams - 40mm x 29mm x 9mm - $350-SOLD

ISHEYEVO, Russia: Carbonaceous chondrite (CH/CBb). Found October 2003. Tkw = 16 kilograms.
This is odd stuff. It pretty much looks like an iron or an enstatite perhaps but is really a carbonaceous. This is around 60%
metal! However, it does contain small (around .02 to 1.0mm diameter) chondrules and CAIs, clearly showing it is neither an iron or enstatite chondrite. This was found in October of 2003 by a tractor driver. It was September of 2004 before a piece was delivered for research. That work showed that not only was this a strange carbonaceous chondrite but that it was a unique one having features of both the CH and CBb (Bencubbin like but with tiny chondrules). As such, this is the ONLY meteorite in the world classified as a CH/CBb type! Neat stuff. I only have 40grams total available though (wish I had more).
1) Slices:
a) .52 grams - 8mm x 5mm x 2mm - $47
b) 1.26 grams - 10mm x 7mm x 3mm - $110
c) 2.4 grams - 17mm x 10mm x 2.5mm - $205-SOLD
d) 5.3 grams - 22mm x 17mm x 3mm - $440-SOLD
e) 10.1 grams - 35mm x 23mm x 3mm - $800-SOLD

NWA 8386: Achondrite. (Howardite). Found before February 2014. Tkw = 1002 grams.
I got a box of, frankly, really ugly fragments in Tucson towards the end of the show. These didn’t even look like meteorites but my XRF hinted that they were though. Cutting, however, revealed a really nice Moon rock looking brecciated interior. There are white, green and gray clasts of all sizes in a medium gray matrix. This is quite shocked and hard to cut (and impossible to break cleanly), a rare feature among HEDs but fairly common in lunars. Research showed this to be an HED meteorite composed of roughly 30% diogenite, 60% basaltic eucrite and 10% cumulate eucrite. This is likely a regolith breccia sample from the surface of the asteroid Vesta. The pieces listed here are all cut fragments/ end pieces but I do have a few slices available for those of you that prefer more of the interior over the natural exterior.
1) Cut fragments/ end pieces:
a) 2.1 grams - 22mm x 13mm x 5mm - $25
b) 4.3 grams - 25mm x 15mm x 7mm - $50
c) 9.2 grams - 25mm x 20mm x 10mm - $100
d) 15.1 grams - 40mm x 25mm x 10mm - $160-SOLD
e) 22.5 grams - 45mm x 38mm x 8mm - $237-SOLD
f) 33.3 grams - 50mm x 40mm x 10mm - $350

SPRINGWATER, Canada: (Pallasite). Found 1931. Tkw = about 200 kilograms.
Originally, only 68kg in three pieces were found. It was not until 2009 that the strewn filed was located and more pieces were found by using high-power deep seeking metal detector equipment. The pieces listed here are nice complete slices (and a nice end piece) from stones found during this second recovery. They are all cut really thin and pass light through most of the crystals. One side is polished to show bright shiny metal between the crystals and the other has been etched. Beautiful pieces and very rare, as few complete pallasite slices are available (at least in “affordable” sizes). I have several of the smaller size, but only one each of the large slice and end piece.
1) Complete slices: polished one side, etched on the other:
a) 17.4 grams - 55mm x 47mm x 1.5mm - $330-SOLD
b) 230.3 grams - 205mm x 130mm x 2mm - $4000
2) End piece:
a) 201 grams - 65mm x 60mm x 30mm - $3000

STRELLEY POOL STROMATOLITE: Some of the oldest “fossils”/ evidence of early life known.
Stromatolite “fossils” are clearly layered sediments that are formed by microbial mats living in shallow waters. These bio-films trap and bind sediments as the colony builds, giving broken pieces of the resulting rocks a bit of a tree-ring appearance. Storamtolites provide the most ancient records of life, with some dating to more than 3.5 billion years ago. These particular specimens are roughly 3.4 billion years old and come from Western Australia.
Roughly 20mm x 20mm x 10mm plus specimen in plastic display box - $25

NOTE: For those of you that missed out on pieces of the Acasta Gneiss last list, I have a few more specimens available now. If you asked for a piece but did not get one, I already have a piece set aside for you. I have maybe half a dozen more available in addition to those.

Please note:
The post office keeps increasing shipping rates (despite the government’s official claim is that there is no inflation). For small US orders $3 should still be fine for now. Larger orders are now $12 (insurance is extra if desired – I’ll look it up if you want it). The real increases came in overseas (or even Canada) shipping. These prices pretty much doubled from what they were a couple years ago. Now small overseas orders are around $9 (I’ll have to custom quote any larger items/ orders). Thankfully, it seems that the rate for registration (recommended on more valuable overseas orders) is still around $12.
I do have a new fax machine that seems to work (but I have to answer it and manually turn it on), so overseas people can contact me that way if they must However, for overseas orders, it probably is best to go ahead and use my brmeteorites@yahoo.com e-mail.